The renowned Organic & Natural Products Expo was staged for the first time in The Mother City this weekend.
After being held in Johannesburg for the past two years, Capetonians got the chance to delve into the world of organic and natural food, beverages, cosmetics, pet care, home care, personal care and home solutions.
The expo’s head of sponsorships and partnerships, Warren Hickinbotham explained to Independent Media Lifestyle that the plan is to host an annual event in both Cape Town and Joburg, which will take place in September.
He said that one of the main goals of the expo is to support small businesses in the sectors.
For this reason, organisers developed partnerships that helped smaller players showcase their products, giving visitors a wider variety of products to explore than in previous years, Hicknbotham said.
The collaboration also aims to help create a business environment that benefits the industry as a whole.
Hicknbotham added that most exhibitors are affiliated with certain organisations, ensuring they meet the relevant quality standards.
Several of them have also received support from the Small Enterprise Development Agency and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, among others.
This is to ensure that the expo is a community of genuine and quality-focused participants as organisers seek to eradicate the abundance of fake products.
In preparing for the expo that attracts people of all ages and lifestyles, organisers wanted to the expo to be wide-ranging.
“Whether you’re into food and drinks, beauty, toys for kids, cleaning up your home, taking care of yourself, staying healthy or trying out supplements, there's always something new to discover,” Hicknbotham said.
He also believes that living a healthy lifestyle doesn’t need to be a daunting ordeal.
“Gut health has emerged in mainstream health care as a starting point for health in general. Kombucha aids in this area, with benefits such as reducing cholesterol levels, decreasing the spread of cancer, improving liver and gastrointestinal functions and boosting the immune system,” Hickinbotham said.
“Organic is all about sustainability. It’s the main topic our exhibitors are addressing in their businesses and the production of their products.
“This starts from farming methods to ensure land is farmable for centuries to come and the theme is present all through the production process and to sustainable packaging. Many of the products on display at the expo, have their roots in community upliftment projects.”
He added that chilli brand, Zama Zama, has trained former illegal miners related farming practices to ensure that they have a safe livelihood.
“It’s all about sustainability and upliftment.”
Hickinbotham said that at this year’s expo, there was a big focus on products that met specific diet needs, like cassava flour and gluten-free items.
The trend is set to intensify as more people look for foods that are suited their individual health needs. He added that cassava, a key product from Africa, highlighted the expo’s aim to showcase the continent’s contributions to the health sector.
The event was also about promoting local products like baobab, moringa, rooibos and honeybush and the idea was to support home-grown solutions and share these treasures with the world.
“As people become more aware of the importance of eating what's right for them, we can expect to see an even wider variety of food options. It's like the evolution of bread, which has transformed from a basic staple into a range of products tailored to different diets.
“For us, providing practical advice on how to use these weird and wonderful products is an essential part of the journey.
“It starts with the understanding that you can grow your own herbs and vegetables at home, in a very small area. So, economically, it makes sense, and then going further than that, you can sell your surplus to friends, family and neighbours. Why do we have people starving if this is such as basic fact?”
The expo also showcased the diverse range of products which focus on body care, beauty, lifestyle and spiritual well-being.
“This mix of offerings tells us a lot about how societal views on health and wellness are evolving,” he said.
The expo aims to be a gateway for health product suppliers from various fields to connect with consumers. It's also designed to educate and introduce the public to new health and wellness concepts they might not be familiar with.
“Health and wellness is a unique journey for everyone. By providing people with more information and opportunities to learn, we're helping them to explore and understand their paths to health,” Hickinbotham said.